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Video:Tips for Buying a Charcoal Grill

Charcoal grills are great for getting that unique smoke flavor in your barbecue. Check out these tips for buying a charcoal grill.See Transcript

Transcript:Tips for Buying a Charcoal Grill

Hi, My name is Kenneth Nickle, I’ve been cooking BBQ for a little over ten years B.B.s Lawnside Barbeque, competitions all over Missouri, and Fiorella’s Jack Stack. Today I am going to show you tips on how to buy a charcoal grill for About.com.

Charcoal Grill Features

What is great about having a charcoal grill is you can get the smoke flavor that you wouldn’t usually get out of a gas grill. They are easy to clean, easy to maintain, and they are pretty portable. You can get these just about anywhere hardware stores, big box retailers, and there are all kinds of specialty BBQ stores where you can get just about any variety of BBQ grill.

There are two main kinds of grates you can get for stainless steel grills you can buy. I prefer the kind with the flaps that flap up so you can pour in more charcoal if needed. Then there is your basic stainless steel grate which you would have to remove to replenish your charcoal.

Charcoal Grill Sizes

There are all different types of sizes of grills you can buy. The smaller ones, usually about 10 to 20 inch base, you take to your tailgating usually typical for burgers and steaks and things like that. If you want to start getting into ribs or you are cooking for a bigger party you are going to want to get at last a 20 inch grill and they go al the way up to about 32 inches. Y

ou can even get the long rectangle ones that are about forty or forty-eight inches if you really want to cook a lot of stuff on them. Typically with about 20 -25 inches you can cook your ribs and even a smaller flat brisket. Stuff like that.

Cost Range for Charcoal Grills

Now for your cheaper grills, like your tailgating ones, they are going to be pretty small and portable. They are going to run about 20 or 30 bucks. When you get into the 80 or 90 bucks you are going to get your basic charcoal grill with a stand and a lid and a grate.

You want to spend a little bit more money, you can get your end tables on it, a full Oklahoma Joe Smokin' Grill, you can indirect heat smoke your meat, or you can pour the charcoal straight into the bottom and cook your steaks, whatever you want to do.

Now when you get into the ceramic grill, like the Green Egg, these are great. They hold the temperature very steady it is usually a onetime deal, one set of charcoal and they will hold their temperature for about three to four hours. The porcelain coated grills themselves are very insulated they hold temperature better, electronic thermostat stuff like that, usually they come with everything they need on them, but you are going to spend a little more money on a porcelain coated grill.

Now my favorite charcoal grill is the Weber. They have a few different sizes, I like about a 22 inch grill. The Weber tends to last a few years longer than your typical off brand charcoal grill.

Thanks for watching for more tips on how to buy a charcoal grill, check us out on the web at About.com.

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